DROWNING AT WAIRAU VALLEY.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 141, 24 October 1868, Page 4

DROWNING AT WAIRAU VALLEY.

INQUEST ON ARTHUR KINSEY. Ox Tuesday last, an inquest was held at Manuka Island, upon the body of Arthur Kinsey, before Samuel Robinson, Esq., J.P., and the following jury :—Messrs. J. D. Macaulay, Warner, King, C. G. Scott, G. Scott, Forbes, Davidson, Brookes, Roper, and Gerrish, John Gore, labourer, Manuka Island, on oath, identified the body as that of Arthur Kinsey. He last saw him alive on Sunday morning last, about 11 a.m. He then left with the intention of going to Birch Hill. We parted about half a mile from hjs residence. I saw him go in the direction of the Wairau river. About half an hour afterwards, I saw the horse he was riding coming up the track towards Kinsey’s house without a rider. I went down, and rode him to where Kinsey entered the river, which I knew by the tracks of the horse on the banks, and in the rivei'. I then went up the hills, but could not see anything of him till his body was brought home.

By the Foreman : When he started he had a rifle slung over his shoulder. Henry Oapert deposed : Am cook at the Accommodation House, Manukalsland. I recognise the body as that of my late master, Arthur Kinsey. Last saw him alive on Sunday about 11 a.m., when he started for Birch Hill. About half-an-hour after observed a horse with saddle on but no rider, and said to Gore that I saw it on the flat, and believed that Arthur was drowned. He went down and caught the horse, and then went to the Wairau river. I rode down to the ford, and saw Kinsey’s horse wet all over, as though he had been in the river. We searched down the Wairau, but could see nothing of Kinsey; and I proceeded to Blenheim and gave information to the police. By the Jury ; Kinsey was a man of sober habits, and had nothing to drink that morning. The bridle was on the horse. | Thomas Smith, manager “of Birch Hill station, deposed that on Sunday mornings about' five o’clock, last witness..cam© .and; told him,that Kinsey was supposed to be drowned. Next morning, accompanied by five.orsix men, we commenced to search from opposite Birch Hill Station, v md ceeded up the riyer. We separated f den Spper, pnd * three hours before,we found his body. He; was quite dead, His body was lying on his left .side, -part in the water and part, outr —his face being under’ water. -His jjlotbek did not appear be forn, but .onp,, pf his.bootswaa jp^y ; q^ ; . ©P iifie , strapped! to, the body, which was quitestiff, and the arms extended; There was an abrasion of the skin of the Those. We lifted him, and strapping him on a horse, took him to his late residence., I recognise . the body to. be that of Arthur Kinsey, - Rowden Soper, laborer at Birch Hill, g^3 : v^^ effect. ’ '' John constable stationed at BlenhciSSTffeposed, that . he receiyed information on the previous morning that deceased was drowned, and started for Manuka Island

immediately. On inspecting the body found no marks of violence; the skin of the nose was a little broken, and there was a slight cut on the forehead, but neither sufficient to cause death. Found a small piece of tobacco, matchbox, and knife in the pockets. The inside of the sleeves were covered with horse’s hair, as if he had been grasping the horse. By the Jury : Bo not consider the marks on the face were caused by a blow from the horse.

The Jury unanimously returned the following verdict :—“ That the deceased, Arthur Kinsey, was drowned in attempting to cross the Wairau river.”